NancyJohnson Posted September 22, 2016 Author Share Posted September 22, 2016 We did actually give some consideration to doing the upcoming gigs with the drum recordings I'd done for home demos, they're certainly sound enough although I don't know how things would actually pan out, especially in the event of one of us making a minor error live. I utilise a mahoosive amount of live drum loops by Beta Monkey for the home recordings...I did argue at one point that I could easily drop the drum tracks for each song into an iPod or a tablet of some kind and just push these into the front of house. Might have been fun. As things stand, the guy we played with earlier in the week is chomping at the bit to come on board full time. He's a very busy player and really wants to get back to working with a loud originals band, which is great. Happy days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kusee pee Posted September 22, 2016 Share Posted September 22, 2016 Well done, it had to happen and you won't regret it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted September 22, 2016 Share Posted September 22, 2016 Right decision but he should have gone right away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyJohnson Posted February 12, 2017 Author Share Posted February 12, 2017 I know 'tis weird to resurrect one's thread but some updates here. The drummer we had hoped to come on board just didn't happen, so we advertised everywhere. Not a bite. In desperation, I actually posted an 'any drummers here?' plea up on the Facebook page that covers the village I live in and I got a very cagey reply from this guy who'd played in a covers band and hadn't played in a band for about a year. Honestly, I'd have to say my heart sank, but we had more gigs booked, so I spoke to him and said we needed cover. We agreed that he'd cover for those gigs and if he wasn't what we wanted, we'd part company. He just wanted to get back behind a kit. I sent him ten songs and waited for a few days until it was time to get in the studio and play... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted February 12, 2017 Share Posted February 12, 2017 . . . . and? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyJohnson Posted February 12, 2017 Author Share Posted February 12, 2017 ...sorry, I had to go and make breakfast. So yes, we're at the studio. He sets up and we just have a little chat and decide what to play. As Montgomery Burns would have said, 'And we were off!' End of the first song, me, the guitarist and the singer are kind of looking at each other. The guitarist is smiling, which is strange enough in itself and I'm kind of at that point where I just want to laugh loudly because there's joy in my being. The guy is fantastic; he's taken the loops I put into the original demos and has bettered them. The guy plays like Taylor Hawkins. He sings. He harmonises. He's a machine and frankly one of the funniest guys I've ever met. Band politics are gone, we're a gang. So we gave him the chair. He accepted. We're about a dozen gigs in, we've done studio time and did a two hour radio show. Andy/Wolverine has heard the studio stuff and said some really nice things about it. I'm made up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bbiigg Kev Posted February 12, 2017 Share Posted February 12, 2017 Good, If anyone in a band is an Asshole through attitude or lack of skill then they have to go, otherwise what is the point ??? There is no reason to accept sub standard performance, unless your doing his Mrs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted February 12, 2017 Share Posted February 12, 2017 We got rid of our original drummer for very similar reasons, also his refusal to play to a click. A shame, but no choice really. You simply can't play live with a drummer that can't keep time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 12, 2017 Share Posted February 12, 2017 [quote name='Bbiigg Kev' timestamp='1486896948' post='3235280'] There is no reason to accept sub standard performance, unless your doing his Mrs [/quote] Not even then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bbiigg Kev Posted February 12, 2017 Share Posted February 12, 2017 Depends how HOT she is !!! Seroiusly no compromise me thinks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazzbass Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 (edited) a drummer who can't keep time is useless to you. How does he redeem himself live if he can't keep time? Get him to rehearse with a click, otherwise dump him NOW. You are spending all your time keeping time for him which severely limits your ability to play great basslines. I only realised this when I jammed with a good drummer after years with this bad drummer. PS after 30 years, we have him back and I am not happy, band meeting last week without him decided he can only bring a snare, his kick and the hi hat. Until he learns to keep time, I'm not holding my breath. When the guitard suggested getting him for our new project, my exact words were " no way, I never want to play with him again, ever". In the end they wore me down but now they realise i was right. A drummer who can't keep time is just another idiot wishing he could play drums Edited February 13, 2017 by bazztard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 [quote name='NancyJohnson' timestamp='1486895090' post='3235256'] ...sorry, I had to go and make breakfast. [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus Lukin Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 (edited) - Edited February 28, 2022 by Jus Lukin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bbiigg Kev Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 Do you feel better now ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockfordStone Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 i'm having drummer issues... we had one, he seems to have disappeared off the face of the planet... since we have had no contact from him for the past few weeks we are looking for a replacement.... not much fun at all.. its amazing how people don't actually seem to read adverts properly before messaging you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus Lukin Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 (edited) - Edited February 28, 2022 by Jus Lukin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
machinehead Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 [quote name='Jus Lukin' timestamp='1487088058' post='3236923'] A bit, yes, thanks! It's funny, it's only with hindsight that I'm picking up on how deeply that whole thing unsettled me. Should have just been a fun, easy job! [/quote] You did well to come out of this with your sanity. There's little worse for a bass player than playing with a poor drummer. I've been there a few times, thankfully not many, but it's frustrating when you do. Keep your chin up. Frank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolverinebass Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 [quote name='NancyJohnson' timestamp='1486895090' post='3235256'] ...sorry, I had to go and make breakfast. So yes, we're at the studio. He sets up and we just have a little chat and decide what to play. As Montgomery Burns would have said, 'And we were off!' End of the first song, me, the guitarist and the singer are kind of looking at each other. The guitarist is smiling, which is strange enough in itself and I'm kind of at that point where I just want to laugh loudly because there's joy in my being. The guy is fantastic; he's taken the loops I put into the original demos and has bettered them. The guy plays like Taylor Hawkins. He sings. He harmonises. He's a machine and frankly one of the funniest guys I've ever met. Band politics are gone, we're a gang. So we gave him the chair. He accepted. We're about a dozen gigs in, we've done studio time and did a two hour radio show. Andy/Wolverine has heard the studio stuff and said some really nice things about it. I'm made up. [/quote] It's amazing how much of a difference an adjustment like this can make. From hearing the Johnsons material I can say that it's fantastic. It has a great energy to it, the songs are really good and it's brilliantly produced with probably some of the best drum sounds I've ever heard on it. The bass is Sansamp perfection if you like a bit of crunch (as I do) and it's almost impossible to come away from listening to it without thinking that the band have had loads of fun recording the material. If there is one thing that is impossible to fake it's the presence of joy and it is clearly evident here. I'm sure that this is in no small part due to the acquisition of a new drummer. I'd certainly be happy to be in a band with him. I'd recommend the tunes to anyone as they're really, really good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyJohnson Posted February 17, 2017 Author Share Posted February 17, 2017 Thank you! You're really too kind! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HazBeen Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Reading all of this and looking back at drummer woes I have had in the past (all of us I am sure) makes me feel really grateful to have been playing with the same kick ass drummer now for about 6 years in 2 bands (consecutively). We lock at such a viceral level that we don't even need to look at each other to know what the other is doing and really get the best out of each other. They are out there is the positive message I have to convey, time, effort and luck required of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oZZma Posted February 1, 2019 Share Posted February 1, 2019 How to ask tactufully my drummer to exercise? I have listened our reharsals recordings repedetly and some parts are really awful. The problem is, even on technically very simple sections, when tempo is not much intuitive (for example, when polyrhythm is involved, for example bass/drums are 4 over 3) execution is very mechanical, he is not "wrong" but he is not groovy at all, like if he didn't really "feel" the tempo, but was counting 1..2...3... in his mind I'm not so great technically, but at least I can feel and make it groovy (I write stuff I know I can play) I constantly listen to odd metered stuff and keep the tempo with foot and hand to exercise my understanding and "feel" of that kind of stuff, and I think that's the reason why I can handle that quite naturally even if I'm not that good as a bass player. I think aside from lack of exercise (I can't even blame him much, his job is really wearing, he works on nights too, and he does his best to place at least 2 reharsals a week, lately, which I really appreciate), he doesn't listen to the "right" stuff that could help him improve his groove. I don't want to hurt his feelings and his pride, but this is a problem. How can I put this in the kindest, less conceited way? He is a nice (and creative) guy and I don't want to ruin everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted February 1, 2019 Share Posted February 1, 2019 ask him what he thinks of the recordings. He might say "Yeh, I'm a bit too rigid, it's not grooving enough but I don't have time to practise" 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkey Steve Posted February 1, 2019 Share Posted February 1, 2019 (edited) the only way to fix it is to tell him. You can do it nicely, you can be blunt and rude, but it's not going to magically fix itself. And as mentioned earlier in this thread, bad players often don't realise it, Dunning-Kruger and all that. And even good players who are doing the wrong thing won't realise that it's wrong unless they're told I mentioned it on another thread recently, but I found that the better the musicians I've played with, the more straightforwardly these sorts of issues have been dealt with - something's wrong, here's what it is, now let's fix it. the only question is how you introduce the topic of conversation after not having said anything until now. perhaps the recordings are your way in - "I've been listening to them and I'm not sure that this is working, how about you try..." Keep it polite and friendly, that it's a chance to improve things in a positive way, and make it clear that you think they can do it. And follow up on it - take the time to work on the bits you think need improving, praise them when it's getting better, but tell them when it's not. If they can't improve then at least they've been told and they'll know that they are failing. Edited February 1, 2019 by Monkey Steve 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oZZma Posted February 1, 2019 Share Posted February 1, 2019 (edited) 4 minutes ago, Monkey Steve said: the only question is how you introduce the topic of conversation after not having said anything until now. These last recordings are particularly unforgiving because we used to record with my smartphone, now we used a mixer + computer. Edited February 1, 2019 by oZZma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkey Steve Posted February 1, 2019 Share Posted February 1, 2019 1 hour ago, oZZma said: These last recordings are particularly unforgiving because we used to record with my smartphone, now we used a mixer + computer. ideal opportunity then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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